Caffeine & Sweating

by
ELIZABETH WOLFENDEN Oct. 03, 2017

Elizabeth Wolfenden

Elizabeth Wolfenden has been a professional freelance writer since 2005 with articles published on a variety of blogs and websites. She specializes in the areas of nutrition, health, psychology, mental health and education. Wolfenden holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a master's degree in counseling from Oakland University.

Approximately 90 percent of the people in the world consume caffeine in some form, and 80 percent of American adults consume caffeine every day, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This high caffeine consumption is most likely because of the positive effects caffeine can produce, such as an increase in energy and alertness. However, caffeine may cause unpleasant reactions as well. One unpleasant side effect of caffeine is sweating.

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Sweating From Caffeine

Although sweating is not a common effect of caffeine, it does occur in some individuals. Sweating from caffeine use is more likely when someone consumes a large amount of caffeine. The sweating is generally not a cause for concern and should go away on its own when the caffeine is metabolized and excreted from the body. However, if you are concerned about your sweating, call your doctor.

Considerations

If you find yourself sweating after even low doses of caffeine, consider other factors that may be causing the sweating. Many caffeinated beverages, such as teas and coffees, are served hot. The temperature of your caffeinated beverage may cause an increase in your body temperature and cause you to sweat more than usual. Sweating also may be a response to strong emotions, such as nervousness, anger, embarrassment or fear. Hormonal changes, illness, low blood sugar, an overactive thyroid, spicy foods, warm temperatures, cancer, alcohol and certain medications may also trigger sweating. Eliminating caffeine completely can help you determine if the sweating is due to caffeine or because of one of these other conditions.

Other Effects of Caffeine

Caffeine is a moderately effective alerting agent that may have a positive effect on your mood, mental performance, energy and reaction times. However, it also may produce other effects that are less desirable. In addition to sweating, caffeine may make it difficult for you to fall asleep, increase your heart rate, raise your blood pressure, cause headaches or dizziness, and make you anxious, jittery or irritable. Excessive amounts of caffeine may also cause gastrointestinal upset, dehydration or muscle tremors. You may feel these effects within 30 to 60 minutes after consuming caffeine, and these effects may last anywhere from eight to 14 hours, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Caffeine Consumption

Most people can consume moderate amounts of caffeine without experiencing any adverse effects. Approximately 100 to 200 milligrams of caffeine a day is considered a moderate amount, according to the FDA. However, some people are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine and may experience adverse reactions, like sweating, with lower amounts. You may need to experiment to determine the specific amount of caffeine your body can tolerate without experiencing adverse effects.